Factors shaping the macrobenthic animal assemblages in a tidal flat newly-formed by the Great East Japan Earthquake

摘要: Abstract In 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami struck Pacific coast of northeastern created new intertidal habitats, which are ideal places to examine roles spatial environmental variables shaping community structure since historical effects caused by resident species precluded. this study, therefore, we examined relative importance in determining benthic macrofauna Higashi-Yachi tidal flat. During study period, from July 2015 June 2016, a total 36 macrobenthic invertebrate taxa were found Among these, 14 abundant general significantly different abundance among stations, but not seasons. Redundancy analysis showed that most polychaetae such as Heteromastus spp. Notomastus stations near destroyed points embankments, while sand bubbler crab Scopimera globosa was at with higher elevations. addition, 39% temporal variations structures explained variables. The elevation ground level distance parts embankment 18.7% variations, temporally changing temperature nutrient contents sediment overlapping these 7.4 12.7% variation, respectively. These results suggest animal flat assembled only conditions also configuration seawater flow and/or bottom flats.